Republicans hold fundraiser for Women’s Health Program

While the Texas-OU football game has traditionally been a big venue for politicians raising campaign funds, this year, two Republicans are planning a party that will benefit “outreach” for the “Texas Women’s Health Program.”

According to Stephanie Goodman, spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Commission, the fundraiser’s dollars will “go into a 501c3 and be used for a public awareness campaign to help tell women about the various state health programs available. Those programs include the Texas Women’s Health Program, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, the Expanded Primary Health Program, mental health and substance abuse services and others. The goal is to develop a website and campaign that makes it easier for women to find services.”

In 2011, the Texas Legislature slashed funding to family planning services and lost a federal match by banning any organization that affiliated with abortion providers from receiving state funds. That forced many clinics associated with Planned Parenthood to close. With the budget cuts, many women were unable to receive healthcare services.

In 2013, the Legislature restored money for women’s health, including family planning, but the state still bars abortion “affiliates” from receiving money. According to Goodman, claims data shows the program still has not rebounded.

“We’re serving about 25 percent fewer women than we were a year ago. We have enough providers to serve more women so we want to make sure women know about the program. Under the Medicaid program, Planned Parenthood not only served many of the clients, they also helped their patients enroll in the Women’s Health Program,” she said.

Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, called it “a shame” that Republicans turned down a 9-to-1 federal match for women’s health services over the abortion affiliate issue. “They are trying to back-pedal. Republicans dismantled the program for a political vendetta,” she said. “I am glad they are trying to rectify it, but we didn’t have to be here.”